science + media

By Kathryn JeffordsVirtual reality is an exciting immersive storytelling technology that has been eagerly embraced by gamers, journalists and other visual media makers. But VR's potential extends far beyond the world of gaming and storytelling. Now, forward-thinking doctors and researchers are exploring VR's potential to save lives and revolutionize healthcare.

Holoanatomy

HoloLens: Augmented Reality in Medical SchoolsMicrosoft Hololens has joined forces with Case Western Reserve University to release an app for Hololens that allows students to explore the human anatomy in augmented reality. The headset superimposes 3D graphics into the user’s viewfinder allowing them to explore a virtual body. This developing app may even replace medical school cadavers. The possibilities for medical education are endless with VR and AR technologies, and universities are starting to see the effects in a big way.

Bravemind

USC Professor Helping War Veterans overcome PTSD​Professor Skip Rizzo, Ph.D. spends a lot of time with his patients in war zones – virtually. Skip is the founder of virtual reality treatment to help heal active duty and veterans of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This method of “exposure therapy” helps participants relive the traumatic events they experienced in a safe and controlled environment. They learn to process instances that may otherwise trigger difficult emotional memories.

The Virtual Surgeon

Combining 360 Video, 3D and interactive content places you in a virtual operation room​With already 19,147 downloads, The Virtual Surgeon is quickly becoming the leader in surgical simulation. According to Medical Realities, the developer, medical training has come to a plateau in the past few years and this app offers a solution to more effective training accessible all over the globe.

Snow World

Changing perceptions of pain​SnowWorld combines Pixar-like animation and medical use into a virtual reality game. This program relieves the pain of burn victims, changes perceptions of pain and treats chronic pain through mindfulness.

Yes, there is no doubt in the fact that healthcare is the most hipped industries among other competing industries. And I think it is the place where virtual reality is expeditiously striking a place for itself. VR is nothing but one of the replica of technology advancement, which has shown its significance in the filed of healthcare by eliminating the painful procedures and the use anesthesia during certain surgical treatment. Apart from this virtual reality and exposure therapy are highly connected with each other, the result of which has made the hospitalization smooth and agreeable. Hence apart from AR, virtual reality has also some importance in healthcare.

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As the curators of the Science Media Awards Summit in the Hub (SMASH), we believe storytelling is a common thread in our shared human experience, and that new media allows us to convey the wonders of scientific discovery in new and compelling ways.